Adding alcohol
Libby283
Posts: 288 Member
Hello, I have not been around for awhile. Life got busy. In 2014, I lost lots of weight and was down to 120-125lbs. Which is a great weight for me. I have gained since then and now back up to 140lbs. I refuse to get heavy again.
I have not been logging food but eat fairly well.. Last summer I reintroduced alcohol back into my life. I really think this is the issue. I try to stick to 1200-1400 calorie daily diet, which does not leave much room to eat well and drink.
Obviously it is not healthy to just not eat and drink alcohol instead. I am Irish.. So needless to say I am not just trying to squeeze in a glass of wine, one shot or one beer. I drank two bottles of wine Saturday.
How does everyone else handle this?
I have not been logging food but eat fairly well.. Last summer I reintroduced alcohol back into my life. I really think this is the issue. I try to stick to 1200-1400 calorie daily diet, which does not leave much room to eat well and drink.
Obviously it is not healthy to just not eat and drink alcohol instead. I am Irish.. So needless to say I am not just trying to squeeze in a glass of wine, one shot or one beer. I drank two bottles of wine Saturday.
How does everyone else handle this?
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Replies
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Hello, I have not been around for awhile. Life got busy. In 2014, I lost lots of weight and was down to 120-125lbs. Which is a great weight for me. I have gained since then and now back up to 140lbs. I refuse to get heavy again.
I have not been logging food but eat fairly well.. Last summer I reintroduced alcohol back into my life. I really think this is the issue. I try to stick to 1200-1400 calorie daily diet, which does not leave much room to eat well and drink.
Obviously it is not healthy to just not eat and drink alcohol instead. I am Irish.. So needless to say I am not just trying to squeeze in a glass of wine, one shot or one beer. I drank two bottles of wine Saturday.
How does everyone else handle this?
If you're not logging then how do you know the calories you're consuming are accurate? It sounds like you're eating a lot more than that. You need to weigh and measure your food and log everything accurately.
As for the alcohol, I know I'm going to have wine in the evenings -- 2-3 glasses depending on the night -- so I pre-log it first thing in the morning so those calories are already accounted for then I work my day around what I have left.1 -
I know that my food is good because I generally eat the same rotation of meals and logged them log enough I know the exact calories.
I did not log alcohol when I started drinking again last year. I could guarantee this is the issue that caused the 15lb gain.0 -
I know that my food is good because I generally eat the same rotation of meals and logged them log enough I know the exact calories.
Which is fine but you could also be underestimating your portion size. You'd be surprised at how small portions actually are when you start weighing.
But yes, if you know you're going to drink pre-log those calories.
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My meals are measured. Like I eat an individual size yogurt for breakfast, salad purchased at same restaurant every day, etc.. My diet does not vary much. I know it is the alcohol. I cant fit food and alcohol into my daily log. It seems to be an either/or issue.
It is not so much a logging issue, because I can easily log the alcohol in the morning, but then I would have no calories left to eat. How can you fit food and alcohol into the daily calorie allotment?0 -
For instance, my favorite beer is 165 calories a bottle. If I drink 3 or 4 a night, that is 495-660 calories out of my 1200. How can I eat three healthy meals with the remaining 540 calories? I cant squeeze it all in.
Saturday I drank two entire bottles of wine. I should not have ate saturday or sunday with all those calories.0 -
Why can't you just cut down on your drinking?
Two entire bottles of wine? By yourself?? Honestly if that is the case then perhaps you need to seek help.3 -
I too like a drink, I believe it had a lot to do with my weight gain. I had to do some experimenting to find out what worked into my log. Now I usually have a bottle of wine on Friday and one on Saturday. I balance it out with exercise: 35 - 40 minutes swimming for one bottle and a 2 - 3 hour walk for the other bottle.
I also found that dry white wine has way fewer calories (~450 per bottle) than the sparkling rose (~600 per bottle) I used to drink. Don't quote me on those figures, its hard to find the right nutri info as there so many brands and they mostly don't come with all the info on the label.
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That's a lot of wine in one day. Just taper back your intake or spread it out over a weeks time instead of all in one day. Sounds like you may have a restraint problem. If you can't limit yourself, don't drink at all or drink lower calorie. Drink enough low cal watered down beer and it'll put you off drinking beer for a while.1
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For instance, my favorite beer is 165 calories a bottle. If I drink 3 or 4 a night, that is 495-660 calories out of my 1200. How can I eat three healthy meals with the remaining 540 calories? I cant squeeze it all in.
Saturday I drank two entire bottles of wine. I should not have ate saturday or sunday with all those calories.
Oh boy.. I get the Irish thing, and i don't get needing to reintroduce alcohol in your diet to this extreme?
Oh do I love my glasses of wine in the evening or weekend, but two bottles and then considering that you should not eat for two days afterwards...
Problem maybe?
IMHO totally unhealthy thinking and clearly unhealthy for the body.
If you gonna drink then skip the beer and go to spirits.. Lots less calories in shots of whiskey for a much better buzz.2 -
Sassie_Lassie wrote: »Why can't you just cut down on your drinking?
Two entire bottles of wine? By yourself?? Honestly if that is the case then perhaps you need to seek help.
Party pooper...
Seriously, I did cut out all alcohol for a year, but I drink socially and missed going out and drinking with friends. So I reintroduced it and I do want to keep it as part of my diet. I may not drink every night, but we can assume 3-5 nights a week, now that the weather is hot, I will be partaking in some drinks at the pool, bar, games, cookouts or other events.
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Hello, I have not been around for awhile. Life got busy. In 2014, I lost lots of weight and was down to 120-125lbs. Which is a great weight for me. I have gained since then and now back up to 140lbs. I refuse to get heavy again.
I have not been logging food but eat fairly well.. Last summer I reintroduced alcohol back into my life. I really think this is the issue. I try to stick to 1200-1400 calorie daily diet, which does not leave much room to eat well and drink.
Obviously it is not healthy to just not eat and drink alcohol instead. I am Irish.. So needless to say I am not just trying to squeeze in a glass of wine, one shot or one beer. I drank two bottles of wine Saturday.
How does everyone else handle this?
Moderation. That's the best way to handle it. Eat well, exercise (cardio for a larger deficit and don't eat back those calories throughout the week) and save for the weekend so you don't have to feel as guilty when you socially drink knowing that overall throughout the week you had "leftover" calories.1 -
Sassie_Lassie wrote: »Why can't you just cut down on your drinking?
Two entire bottles of wine? By yourself?? Honestly if that is the case then perhaps you need to seek help.
Party pooper...
Seriously, I did cut out all alcohol for a year, but I drink socially and missed going out and drinking with friends. So I reintroduced it and I do want to keep it as part of my diet. I may not drink every night, but we can assume 3-5 nights a week, now that the weather is hot, I will be partaking in some drinks at the pool, bar, games, cookouts or other events.
LOL. I just mean maybe cut down on your drinks per night. My husband and I have about 2 bottles of wine a night (with the exception of Fridays) which is about 4 glasses but I make sure that I add those calories in first thing so that they're basically gone.
I also workout every day -- not saying you don't -- but there's that balance as well.0 -
That's a lot of wine in one day. Just taper back your intake or spread it out over a weeks time instead of all in one day. Sounds like you may have a restraint problem. If you can't limit yourself, don't drink at all or drink lower calorie. Drink enough low cal watered down beer and it'll put you off drinking beer for a while.
Not so much a restraint issue. I can stop, but I like the taste and I like to socialize. I drank lite watered down beer last summer, but 6 go down fairly easily. I like the taste of beer, and have expanded my horizons to now like the micro brews.0 -
For instance, my favorite beer is 165 calories a bottle. If I drink 3 or 4 a night, that is 495-660 calories out of my 1200. How can I eat three healthy meals with the remaining 540 calories? I cant squeeze it all in.
Saturday I drank two entire bottles of wine. I should not have ate saturday or sunday with all those calories.
Oh boy.. I get the Irish thing, and i don't get needing to reintroduce alcohol in your diet to this extreme?
Oh do I love my glasses of wine in the evening or weekend, but two bottles and then considering that you should not eat for two days afterwards...
Problem maybe?
IMHO totally unhealthy thinking and clearly unhealthy for the body.
If you gonna drink then skip the beer and go to spirits.. Lots less calories in shots of whiskey for a much better buzz.
I don't drink for a buzz and stop long before I am intoxicated.0 -
For instance, my favorite beer is 165 calories a bottle. If I drink 3 or 4 a night, that is 495-660 calories out of my 1200. How can I eat three healthy meals with the remaining 540 calories? I cant squeeze it all in.
Saturday I drank two entire bottles of wine. I should not have ate saturday or sunday with all those calories.
Oh boy.. I get the Irish thing, and i don't get needing to reintroduce alcohol in your diet to this extreme?
Oh do I love my glasses of wine in the evening or weekend, but two bottles and then considering that you should not eat for two days afterwards...
Problem maybe?
IMHO totally unhealthy thinking and clearly unhealthy for the body.
If you gonna drink then skip the beer and go to spirits.. Lots less calories in shots of whiskey for a much better buzz.
I don't drink for a buzz and stop long before I am intoxicated.
So I'm gathering that you drank two bottles of wine over a long period of time? If so, perhaps it might work to just "narrow" your drinking window. I delay the start of my drinking on the weekends so that I don't consume too many calories in alcohol over the course of the day. If I do have an party or something where I want to drink early, I make sure to stop early too. No all-day drinking -- it's too easy for me to consume too many calories.1 -
I have a higher than average threshold and It was a four hour window at a cookout. I didn't even realize I had drank two whole bottles until my mother pointed it out the next day.
But yes somedays it is all day, like Sunday at the pool. Pretty sure I took a 12 pack for my boyfriend and I and we came home with none.
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Do you do any time of exercising? If not, try incorporating that into your day to increase the number of calories you're able to consume.0
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I try to walk 30 minutes a day on my lunch. My evenings are busy.0
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My meals are measured. Like I eat an individual size yogurt for breakfast, salad purchased at same restaurant every day, etc.. My diet does not vary much. I know it is the alcohol. I cant fit food and alcohol into my daily log. It seems to be an either/or issue.
It is not so much a logging issue, because I can easily log the alcohol in the morning, but then I would have no calories left to eat. How can you fit food and alcohol into the daily calorie allotment?
You eat less or you drink less.1 -
My meals are measured. Like I eat an individual size yogurt for breakfast, salad purchased at same restaurant every day, etc.. My diet does not vary much. I know it is the alcohol. I cant fit food and alcohol into my daily log. It seems to be an either/or issue.
It is not so much a logging issue, because I can easily log the alcohol in the morning, but then I would have no calories left to eat. How can you fit food and alcohol into the daily calorie allotment?
You eat less or you drink less.
Right and my personal struggle is I like drinking better than eating, but then I get hungry...ugh. Maybe a happy split of 4- 500 calorie days, and then 3 -2300 calorie drinking days will be the happy spot.0 -
My meals are measured. Like I eat an individual size yogurt for breakfast, salad purchased at same restaurant every day, etc.. My diet does not vary much. I know it is the alcohol. I cant fit food and alcohol into my daily log. It seems to be an either/or issue.
It is not so much a logging issue, because I can easily log the alcohol in the morning, but then I would have no calories left to eat. How can you fit food and alcohol into the daily calorie allotment?
You eat less or you drink less.
Right and my personal struggle is I like drinking better than eating, but then I get hungry...ugh. Maybe a happy split of 4- 500 calorie days, and then 3 -2300 calorie drinking days will be the happy spot.
I think you'd start to feel really run down and exhausted if you did this. Probably other bad side effects as well.
Do you enjoy any other physical activities other than walking? If so, pursue that. I like to drink, too, so I have to eat less but what helps keep me balanced in that regard is lifting. If I'm not getting enough nutrition then I can't progress and then I get frustrated. I feel strong and proud when I'm making progress in my workouts so I keep that in mind.0 -
Spend a little more time at the gym/working out in some way.1
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I already feel run down and exhausted most of the time. But I think that is related to being a single parent of two, having a house full of pets, working 50 hours a week, managing a rental, maintaining a house on over 2 acres, and running kids to activities almost every night of the week.0
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Looks like you have some difficult decisions to make.2
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cross2bear wrote: »Looks like you have some difficult decisions to make.
Yeah I have been struggling with making it for a few months, which is why I posted. My head says go with food..my heart says "where is my bottle opener?" The beer fridge is way more exciting than the food fridge at home.0 -
You have an easy life. Why try to ruin it? Oh, you're Irish. I've got Irish ancestry too. So?1
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I already feel run down and exhausted most of the time. But I think that is related to being a single parent of two, having a house full of pets, working 50 hours a week, managing a rental, maintaining a house on over 2 acres, and running kids to activities almost every night of the week.
It's worth noting here that many people (including myself) notice that heavy drinking saps energy and a reasonable exercise program boosts energy.0 -
I use the water flavoring packets with my rum to cut calories. I use one 5 calorie pack with a cup of water and add 2oz of rum. It makes for an excellent low calorie drink! 130 Calories! I pick out flavors that I like to enjoy. (Strawberry Lemonade, Lemonade, pomegranate)2
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I too have an issue sometimes with wanting to drink more calories than I'm allotted each day. I love wine, but find it better to have a vodka-diet lemonade. Less calories, and I can make it a "tall one" (lots of lemonade per shot of vodka) so in the end I don't end up drinking so many calories. My downfall is drinking while I prepare dinner - I can easily drink 3 big glasses of wine in that time, but just one or two vodka-diet lemonades. And if it's a day on the weekend when I know we'll be going out, I make sure I go for a longer walk or a bike ride - it doesn't necessarily take care of all the calories I'm drinking, but at least it's something, I feel more in control.
I get being busy, but it's amazing where you can fit in a few minutes of walking, or just go up & down a few flights of stairs or something. While my son practices soccer I can walk around a bit, or at home I'll go downstairs for something, then turn around and go up & down again.
Get a fitbit or similar, it will encourage you to move more.
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Sassie_Lassie wrote: »Why can't you just cut down on your drinking?
Two entire bottles of wine? By yourself?? Honestly if that is the case then perhaps you need to seek help.
Party pooper...
Seriously, I did cut out all alcohol for a year, but I drink socially and missed going out and drinking with friends. So I reintroduced it and I do want to keep it as part of my diet. I may not drink every night, but we can assume 3-5 nights a week, now that the weather is hot, I will be partaking in some drinks at the pool, bar, games, cookouts or other events.
If it takes 2 bottles of wine to hang out with your friends, I'd pick new friends.
Seriously though, not only is binge drinking bad on your liver, it's bad on your waistline.
You say you're on a 1200 calorie diet. I'm going with probably not, as you stated you do not weigh or log. When you don't have a really significant amount to lose, (i.e, the 10-15 you gained), there's less room for error. I'd put the bottle down, pick up the kitchen scale.0
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